Pumping/ Breastfeeding Hardship: Please Help!

When my baby was 4weeks I was not producing that much at all. I even called my doctor all concerned. I was told that my body will produce exactly what my baby needs. Just do not break the baby's connection when she is suckling. Naturally, your baby knows what do to do to get her supply. Also, at 4weeks, a baby's tummy is the size of a nickle ( I was shocked to hear that). So, if you have no milk and the baby continues to suckle, let her. After a few minutes, your breast will then again more. I do not know your medical situation or why you keep dumping your milk. I am assuming medications your taking? You should contact your hospitals lactation specialist for advise.
P.S. If you want to produce even more milk, when the baby is done and will not suckly anymore, connect the pump to you. It will cause you to produce even more than you need. Drink lots of water, and take your vitamins!

Please don't even begin to compare what others are making at this point. It sounds like you have very special circumstances in your life right now.

My best advice would be to put baby to breast every chance you get and know that what baby is able to get is very different from what you see when you pump. Baby is far more efficient.

And you don't want to pump for long sessions. 20 minutes max using a double electric hospital or very good quality pump. I would suggest even renting a hospital grade pump given your unique situation.

Just know that any breast milk she is able to get is going to do her good. It sounds like to me you are amazing by continuing to try to build your supply for her with really trying circumstances. My son was a preemie in the NICU, I'd had a c-section and was home without him. I understand how easy it would be to just give up the breastfeeding/breastmilk aspect. I was able to pump for 12 weeks until I taught him how to breastfeed. Do what you can for as long as you can and don't feel bad if your health concerns have to cause you to switch. Know you did as much as you could and that's fantastic!

the pump can not get as much milk as the baby. try to get the baby on the breast as much as possible.. she is little and just needs to suck. so put her on when she is sleepy and she will stimulate moremilk production..

do not give up your supply can come back.

I'm not sure I caught why you're pumping...if there's a medical reason, you can ignore my response...but I would skip the pumping and go straight to breastfeeding as long as you can. You know she'll take a bottle, if you're preparing to return to work, and there's no better way to get your milk up than to expose yourself to Baby as often as possible. You won't get as much pumping as you do nursing, but if your body knows you're back to full time feeding a newborn, the milk should come back, and then pumping should be easier. Also, if you can get on a regular pumping schedule, I think it helps. I pump-fed my first while I worked full time, starting at 3 months, and I pumped 5x a day, at the same time, all the time. It got stressful around 4 months, when he wanted to nurse/eat every two hours, around the clock (growth spurt!) but otherwise that rigorous pumping schedule worked for us. And I did pump on weekends, too--just in the morning, when I had a lot of milk. Good luck!

Are you currently on any prescription medications? They can interfere with breast feeding/pumping. I'm wondering, since you say you have to dump a lot of milk. I was on one medication for high blood pressure when I delivered my daughter ten years ago; I either didn't/couldn't produce milk, and/or the prescription drug made it worse. I tried to pump, but was unsuccessful. I mean, really, I pumped for four weeks, almost nonstop, and could barely produce anything. I ate well and drank lots and lots of water.

My daughter was born early and unable to latch. I kept trying to get my daughter to latch, but she absolutely refused. I tried to give her as much of my milk as possible; she eventually completely refused any breast milk, including if it was mixed with formula (I still wonder if she could tell/taste the prescription med in there). Talking with La Leche/having a consultation didn't help.

To this day, I still lament that I had to formula feed and couldn't breast feed. But it is what it is. Other posters are right; stressing or worrying won't help.

Sometimes, breast feeding just doesn't work. I have to content myself with knowing that I gave my daughter as much of my milk/colostum as possible. When you're sick yourself, the last thing you want to be angsting over is breast feeding. Do what you can, but please, don't beat yourself up over it if you're unable to breast feed her as much as your other children. You have done your best; take care of yourself as well.

She will survive. My grandmother couldn't produce milk, and she raised four children. This was back when there was no infant formula. She fed them watered down evaporated milk. ::shrug:: My dad and my aunt and uncles all lived, thrived, and haven't had any health problems.

Do what you have to for your baby, but please, take care of your own health concerns as well. A big part of the problem for me were my own health concerns/problems after my daughter was born. You need to take care of yourself, so that you can take care of your newborn and your other children as well.

If it ends up that your baby can't have breast milk--it's okay. She'll be fine. If you're concerned about using infant formula, see if you can find someone to buy raw goat milk from. If I could do it all over again, that's what I would feed my daughter.

See a lactation consultant as soon as possible and it will do wonders. I was not in the same situation by any means, but I contracted Shingles 3 days after giving birth - I found out the day after I was released (GRRRR). Because everyone was afraid of the baby getting the disease and/or effects from the medicine, he was bottle fed for at least a week - my production and his suck were screwed up.

With the help of a good lactation consultant, fenugreek, pumping, and a special tool like an IV with formula that helped my nursing son get the nutrition he needed till my supply was up, I was able to be completely breastfeeding in a few months. He nursed till he was 2.5 years old.

Because you were in the hospital, it is very possible that the services of the lactation consultant will be covered by insurance as it was a medical problem that interfered with nursing. Check with your OB/gyn and hospital to get a referral. Good luck!

2 oz every 2.5-3 hours is what my kids got at that age, whether it was formula or BM, pumped or straight from the breast. I think you are doing fine. Also, remember, a baby is getting out more than a pump usually, you just can see how much she got. maybe get a baby scarl ( very sensitive digitla one) and weight her befor and after each nursing session for your peaceof mind.

Good luck, breastfeeding is hard enough without any extra stress/complications. I hope you can keep going the way you are, it sounds fine to me!

Jessie

My hat goes off to you for being able to do as much as you are under these conditions. Don't expect wonders from teas, in my experience they do something, but is more like a 10-20% increase, it's definitely not like the floodgates open because of them... What I noticed was that the better care I took of myself (good food, sleep and a shower) the more milk I was producing for the baby.
Also, for me it depended a lot of the time of the day, I usually had more milk in the morning, and less in the evening. My baby had jaundice, so for a long time (the first two months) I had to give her one meal of formula a day, during which I was pumping. In the evening I could only get 2-3 ounces, but in the morning I could easily get 4 or more. My baby was born in 5% weight wise, and she kept growing like crazy, until at 6 months she was in 98%. So I take it my milk production was OK, and as you can see it's not so far off yours...

That is about the amount I pumped for my recent baby at that age. I hope that you have a good pump. Do you pump double sided or one breast at a time? I find that pumping both sides helps me the most. Skin to skin contact as much as you can.

The teas never worked for me. Fenugreek works best with the other herbs like fennel and blessed thistle. I use Motherlove's More milk plus special blend with Goat's rue. Alfalfa supplement pills might work for you as well. Eat oatmeal for breakfast. The best thing is to eat foods that don't upset your stomach. Funny enough, most herbs that help promote more milk help with stomach problems.

Pump as often as you can. Time you pumpings so that you don't scimp and slowly reduce your volume. When I pump, most of my milk comes out in the first 10 minutes, but I pump for a full 20 minutes. Often I will get a small second letdown around 18 minutes. The more you pump/feed the more milk you will get eventually. It isn't an overnight process.

Pump after you feed your baby. Perhaps she doesn't latch on very well. If you are too full, she may have trouble, you could pump a little before feeding her to see if that helps.

it will happen, but the more you stress about it the harder it can be. you say you arent stressed, but if you are concerned, worried, or feeling sometimes helpless or hopeless that is all the same thing.

contact a local or nearby la leche league !!! www.llli.org
mine was an hour away, but its worth it to at least get in contact with your local representative. they will have a lot of information and resources as well as other moms experiences to offer you!

why are you dumping? what did she have when you were in the hospitol? it sounds as if she might have nipple confusion... im going to assume that you had to dump because of a drug or something going on there? :( :( im so sorry you were ill :( but i want to encourage you to not give up!

one thing that i KNOW will help is to devote all the time you possibly can with her at the breast. nurse nurse nurse; even if you dont think shes getting anything, the stimulation will help to increase your supply. if nothing else, you will still be able to have nursing times and that connection and suppliment if necessary. but always offer the breast first, or at comfort times.

pumping will never represent truly what your breasts are making because its not the same stimulation to pump as it is for baby to suck. so the more sucking, the better, pump as little as you can.

i hope what i said makes sense, and get ahold of the la leche league

Agree with all other anwers. I have been pumping exclusively for almost 7 months now - not by intent - I had to return to work and go on business trips for several days in a row and my baby who had a perfect latch and loved breastfeeding from day one, simply wasn't taking my breast anymore. Having said that, I've been able to both produce enough for him and keep a 3-4 weeks worth of a stash in the freezer at any point in time, even now when I'm considering to stop in a month or so (he's turning 1 next month). Pumping is a HUGE commitment, especially if you're out of the house regularly. But if you're willing, the more regularly you pump, the more milk you'll produce. Pump for at least 15 minutes, if at all possible - you'll find that over time you are likely to have a couple of letdowns during a pumping session. Your supply will gradually increase, if you keep at it.

Having said all that, agree that everybody is different and most importantly, the more rested, well nourished, and calm you are, the better your supply and the better for all of your children. If you can't pump regularly, then you can't; if you can't keep at it for longer than just a couple of months, then be it. You are showing such an amazing will and endurance already. Whatever milk you're able to give your baby, you're doing the right thing against tremendous odds and you should be proud.